


The Man With All the Toys

by robinasnyder



Series: Sharing Toothpaste [6]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-19
Updated: 2012-06-19
Packaged: 2017-11-08 02:46:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/438285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robinasnyder/pseuds/robinasnyder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes things just don't work out like anyone plans. Sometimes you get caught in a shoot out in Israel, and sometimes you're in love with your Boss's woman.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Man With All the Toys

As a general rule it was never a good thing to stir up trouble in Israel. As a general rule, Moriarty hardly cared. This time, though, it had cost him. It should have been easy, he didn't even bring that many people. They just happened to get caught in the crossfire between two other groups.

"So, which one do you want to recruit, and which one do you want to fund again?" Sebastian asked. They might as well have been caught in a gang shoot out. It didn't matter. Shit like this could happen anywhere. They'd been in similar spots before.

"Don't worry about it," Jim said, wincing a bit when Sebastian shifted the makeshift bandages on his arm.

"Are you sure you don't want me to kill them?"

"If anyone is to kill them, it will be me," Jim said. "Besides, revenge is a sucker's game." Sebastian was sure that Jim was quoting a cartoon, but he didn't think now was a good time to test his boss's patience.

"Yeah, just keep your head down," Sebastian said, pulling his jacket over Jim's head again. Jim didn't even complain. They'd used Jim's suit jacket and nice silk for bandages. Jim's undershirt was covered in blood from where his arm had been grazed, but mostly from Sebastian just hauling his boss the hell out of there.

"It'll settle down soon."

"Just keep your head down. Try and rest. You lost a lot of blood," Sebastian said.

Jim snorted. His arm had been grazed. It hurt, so what? Sebastian had been shot in the side clean through and he'd bled all over until he tended to his own injury. He'd ended up heating a knife and cauterizing his own wound just to be sure he'd stop bleeding out. His first priority was Jim Moriarty. Everything else came second.

"It'll be over soon."

"Sleep," Sebastian said, putting his arm around Jim, who grumbled but closed his eyes. He knew not to argue. Mostly Moriarty was in charge, but sometimes Moran had to be. In a military situation, in a situation that was about guns and knives and life and death and deserts, it was Moran's job to take charge. Moriarty paid him well for this, and he knew when to just let Moran do what he was paid for.

They were settled against a wall inside an abandoned building, the kind anyone would find in any big city, in the middle of a shoot out (the shooting had actually stopped, but Sebastian wasn't taking chances). Sebastian had pulled his bloodstained olive t-shirt back on over his bandages, but he'd put his thick jacket over Jim's head. Everything about his person at that moment was about protecting Jim, even the arm around Jim's waist, which he'd use to haul the smaller man up and carry him out if he needed.

Sebastian felt Jim shift a bit, trying to move away from Sebastian's body heat in his sleep. Jim really did put off body heat like a super nova. Sebastian normally would have let Jim sleep on his own, but he felt particularly jumpy that evening. The shots started up again and Sebastian shifted closer. His whole body was tense, ready to spring at the slightest provocation. At sunrise they could probably make a run for it, since the shooters wouldn't want to get caught, at least Sebastian hoped this was true.

He listened for other sounds once the shooting stopped again. He was waiting for the sound of pounding boots or the turn, or rubble, or even more shooting. He was listening for any change, even the slightest bit of difference to tell him what his next move would be.

There was silence for a long time before the shooting started again and Sebastian sighed heavily. He glanced down at his boss who was asleep pressed against his side. Sebastian smiled a bit. Moriarty was a very imposing man, even for his small size. Sometimes, like this moment when Jim was asleep, Sebastian felt an overwhelming fondness for the other man.

He couldn't quiet describe it. He imagined it was something like the feelings he'd have for a little brother: annoyed, caring, protective. Jim looked utterly innocent asleep against the Colonel's side. Sebastian felt his heart swell a bit. No matter what he said, this man needed him. Jim needed him to protect to protect Moriarty and his interests. Jim trusted Sebastian enough to tend to his woman and to keep his hands to himself.

Sebastian felt a stone in his gut at the thought of Ms. Hooper. What he wanted with her and what he could have were two different things. He wanted her, he really did. He didn't just want her for one night, but for her to look at him with a fraction of the interest she looked at Jim with. He wanted that when she hugged him that it would be with her attention on him, and not on Jim. He wanted her to call him by his name, damn it!

And he knew these things were impossible. He was sure enough about himself to know that he could seduce her away from Jim for a night, but he wasn't sure that he could keep here. He also knew how dangerous doing something like that would be for both of them. He wouldn't put her in that kind of danger.

And yet there was one more person to think of.

No matter what Jim said, Sebastian knew that in his own way, Jim Moriarty cared very much about Molly Hooper. It wasn't love, not in the traditional sense. Jim was very selfish. He liked to have the most toys, and the most interesting toys. Sherlock Holmes was essentially an exclusive and difficult new video game. Sebastian Moran was probably a transformer. Molly Hooper was different though. She was a type of toy that Jim had never had before, but probably wanted. Molly Hooper was Care Bear, plush and loving no matter what you did to it.

Molly represented some shift in Jim's heart. Above all else, Sebastian wasn't going to allow that to be broken. He cared about Jim too much to break whatever fragile piece his boss was working with now. No matter that Moriarty thought Sebastian would eventually screw up, Seb knew that he wouldn't. His ability to keep his hands to himself wasn't about self control, and it wasn't even about loyalty. It was about that special feeling he had sitting there in the dirt in the middle of a shoot out: annoyed, caring, protective.

Sebastian smiled to himself, looking down at the smaller sleeping man who was tucked into his side. The innocent look Jim wore was one he'd trust few to see. He'd let Sebastian see it because Sebastian had earned it, because Sebastian would protect that innocent part with his life, with his whole soul if that was what it took.

Sebastian leaned down, placing a kiss on the top of Jim's head, through the thick military jacket and Jim's hair. Jim didn't so much as stir. Sebastian knew it wouldn't. The gunshots silenced again and Sebastian leaned his head against the wall. Still three hours until sunrise.


End file.
